Fairport Convention – Full House

Vinyl 12"

Following the groundbreaking success of 1969's Liege & Lief, Fairport Convention continued their pioneering exploration of traditional British folk music with Full House. Led by the charismatic and celebrated fiddle player Dave Swarbrick, who had joined the band after establishing his reputation alongside Martin Carthy, the group entered a new chapter following the departures of vocalist Sandy Denny and bassist Ashley Hutchings. For the first time since the band's formation in 1967, a Fairport Convention album featured no female vocals.

Released in July 1970 and produced once again by Joe Boyd at London's Sound Techniques studio, Full House built confidently on the foundations laid by its predecessor. Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol and Dave Swarbrick shared lead vocal duties, while new bassist Dave Pegg joined drummer Dave Mattacks to complete the line-up. The album seamlessly combines traditional arrangements, including Dirty Linen and Sir Patrick Spens, with original compositions such as the epic nine-minute Sloth, widely regarded as one of the band's defining recordings.

Balancing virtuoso musicianship with a playful sense of humour—reflected in its sleeve artwork depicting fictional traditional British games—Full House remains one of Fairport Convention's finest achievements and a landmark recording in the evolution of British folk rock.